A New Year……….A closer walk

Well, it’s 2008! Happy New Year! I have to say I rung in the New Year OH SO EXCITEDLY by a family night of watching Shark Tale, drinking root beer floats and an early bed time! I have to work today so there was no staying up until midnight around here! In fact, I really can’t remember the last time I actually stayed up the whole night since Kris and I have been married!And since we’ve been married FOREVER…….it’s been forever ago! ha ha!!! =)

Since I continue to make numerous resolutions that never seem to come into play…….this year, I’m skipping that whole route all together and vowing ONE THING………..to make more time with the Lord. And that means early mornings for me! I’m actually very glad that Taylor heads back to school tomorrow, and get this………SHE IS TOO!!! It’s been awhile since she’s been in class since our trip to Arizona cut right into the Christmas break. She told me yesterday that she needs to “educate herself”!!!

There has been one common ground in my heart lately……motherhood. I don’t know about you, but do you ever find that once you openly confess that you are not the best at something, you are attacked MORE THAN EVER in that area? I know the reason that this has been the most difficult task in my life lately has been the fact that I’m allowing God to use me to lead this bible study at our church (The Seven Life Principles for Every Woman). Frankly, I have never been more frustrated as a wife/mom than I have been the past few weeks. Our women’s minister warned me about this………..that the attack would be great (but not for me! so I thought!!!), and oh has it been.

But I do not surrender, I will not give up………I will press on more and more but I so desperately need the Lord’s all surpassing power in my life to get through these difficult days. Just when I start to think I’m making grounds with one drama queen the next one bestows her spell of unhappiness on me! Now yes, a lot of this has been due to the fact that there has been NO ROUTINE in this house in weeks since school has been out but still……….the war rages on. Usually within the first 5 minutes of eyelids opening!

So I could just sit here and worry or whine about it all……or I could make a plan! You know, when we have a plan of action…….I feel that the enemy has a harder time getting his foot into play. The first thing I know is this: My girls thrive on the reward system. Perhaps it’s from school, since they are always trying to fill a chart or marble jar or something! But even Kennedy does well when she knows there are big things to come to her when she accomplishes even the most minute task! So, I’m really thinking we need to go back to the sticker chart system! We did this right after Kennedy was born and it worked well until the momma got slack after they filled the first chart! =)

But I’m very curious to know from all the momma bloggers out there………what kind of rewards system do you use in your home or do you have one at all? What are some of the things you have your kids work towards? What are the chores they are required to accomplish each day? (Leigh, did you ever find out if a lot of people used a quiet time as a chore? Is this a good thing to do?) What do you do for discipline (at all ages)?

Matthew 6: 31-34 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to. So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at at time.” (TLB)

I love this version of this verse………God will take care of it all, seek Him first in everything and the rest will come into play, very simply. “LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME”…….this is huge for me, since I’m always afraid that tomorrow may never come, it seems as though I’ve listened to one to many country songs!!!! =)

Now………if you have something to add to this……then please speak up! I so want this to be an encouraging blog for everyone who reads it, not just a vent session or to see this or that about our life. I think the best way for us to learn is to learn from other’s ways of doing things! What’s the saying? “It takes a village???” YES! I need to hear your thoughts on this……and to be quite honest, it’s going to help me A. with my own girls and B. with this bible study! Let God use you!!

Ok, well I’m off to take all those pictures of the New Year’s babies……..I really hope there weren’t to many of them!! =) I know that sounds bad but Kris is home today and we have MUCH organizing (of Christmas decorations) to do today so I need to get done as soon as possible today!

Happy Blessed New Year!! Love to you all!!